


sea currents

by Pomfry



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angry teenagers, Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, Merpeople, Prejudice, Sea Monsters, Sea Side Town, Sleepy Towns, Terminal Illnesses, Think Pirates of the Caribbean setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 23:57:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15230877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomfry/pseuds/Pomfry
Summary: Dalia's lived in this town her whole life and has hated approximately half the population for five years now. The town by the seaside is sleepy, using trade as the main source of income, and Dalia's family has stuck out ever since they arrived here a few years before she was born. With bodies in the water, myths resurfacing, and Dalia herself stumbling across a creature that shouldn't exist, Dalia isn't sure if she wants to know the secrets that linger in the minds of old families. But she may not have a choice.





	sea currents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another thing that's original from me! It was based off of a vivid dream of mine - i have those a lot - and i really really like the premise.

Dalia can smell the sea salt, can practically taste it. It’s overpowering, sometimes, but she’s grown up in this tiny shore town so it isn’t that bad. She hums, folding her arms behind her back as she walks on the road, eyes roaming from place to place. There are ships here; big ships with weathered sails and lowered flags. Dalia has always wanted to go on a ship like that. But she has her mother to care for with her father gone, so it’s never been anything but an impossibility.

“Dalia! Hey, Dalia!”

Dalia blinks, halting in her tracks as she looks to the right. “Yes?” she calls out, and a woman pushes her copper hair out of her face.

“Dalia,” the woman says, sounding winded. “Can you help me with this? Tom is out and I can’t - ooooh - I can’t lift this by myself.”

Dalia nods. Anna is her mother’s friend, with copper hair and tanned skin rough from constant work. Her eyes are a faded blue, weary from life, and Dalia has always helped her out when she could. “Okay,” she agrees quietly, and heads over. Anna sits down heavily on a box, rubbing her stomach as she leans back.

“I wish Tom didn’t have to go as much as he does,” Anna says, wincing as her back pops. “He’s gonna miss the birth of our baby if he doesn’t come back soon.”

“You’re six months along, right?”

“Yes.” Anna rubs her feet as Dalia picks up the crate easily. Dalia has always been strong for her age and now, when she’s seventeen, it’s no different. “Put it with the rest. Someone should come to get them in a bit.”

“Okay.”

They sit in silence for a moment, Dalia getting the crates over and Anna trying not to grumble about her feet. Dalia thinks that Anna shouldn’t be working as much as she is, and adjusts her jacket as she picks up another wooden box. “Why are you working? Shouldn’t you be taking it easy?”

“I should,” Anna grunts. “But you know how it is. Money’s tight like it always is, and with this little one on the way, we can’t afford to let up for even a day.” She hangs her head, rolling with it so her cheek is against her shoulder. “I can pay you for your help if you want. I know your mother’s medicine is expensive.”

Dalia shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. We have enough to get another month worth.” They just don’t have enough for other things.

Anna, of course, picks this up and gives her a stern look as she reaches into her apron. “Do you have enough for food?” she asks, and Dalia hesitates for a second before nodding her head. Anna snorts, reaching out with three coins in her grasp. “Don’t lie to me. I’ve known you since you were but a little girl, I know your tells.”

Dalia shuffles her weight on her feet sheepishly. “We’ll be fine,” she says rather unconvincingly. “I can get money from helping at the ships. They know me there.”

“But will it be enough?”

Anna has always been shrewd, Dalia reflects. Always been sharp. If it was another world, Dalia would think that Anna could be running the town. But it’s not, and Anna is stuck in the situation she’s in; broke, pregnant, and barely getting by. Like Dalia and her mother.

“I’ll make it be enough,” Dalia says firmly crossing her arms. “There’s no need to pay me.”

Dalia doesn’t want to be a charity case.

“Alright, alright,” Anna concedes, recognizing the way Dalia clenches her jaw. “You’re so stubborn.”

“I get it from my mom,” Dalia replies somewhat cheekily. “Have you met her?”

“I have.” Anna rolls her eyes. “She’s the most stubborn person I’ve met, _including_ you.”

“I know.” Dalia glances towards the ships that rise high over their town's little buildings. “I should really go.”

“You should.” Anna puts the coins back in her apron. It used to be white but it’s turned a faint yellow from years of work and Dalia running underfoot. “Bye, Dalia. Say high to Jena for me.”

“Will do.” Dalia gives her a salute and wanders away. She absently adjusts her headband, ignoring the looks the other residents give her. Her and her mother have dark skin and black hair that curls like nobody else in the town, and they stick out. Dalia has freckles she got from her father while her mother has none. They both have the same tall height and the same brown eyes, though, and for that Dalia is grateful. Her father is terrible.

She still thinks the others should get over their reactions to her. She’s been here for years at this point, so there’s no need for this prejudice and surprise at her appearance. She’s been going out alone for a while now, ever since her mother got sick, and she’s getting really tired of their whispers about her. But - her family had a hard time making friends when they first arrived, all those years ago. Perhaps it’s not surprising that they’re not fully integrated into this town.

Dalia scoffs at her thoughts. Just because they didn’t become a part of the community doesn’t mean they deserve to be ostracized.  Just because they kept to themselves doesn’t mean there need to be rumors about them. But - well, this place is superstitious. Everyone’s families have been here for generations, and there are secrets not even Anna is privy too, even with the fact that her family has been here for over a hundred years now. Secrets Dalia isn’t sure she wants to know.

“Dalia,” she mutters, “you really need to get your head out of the clou-”

Her foot catches on a stray piece of wood, and she stumbles, barely stopping herself from falling flat on her face. Her cheeks heat up as everyone chuckles around her, and she tugs on the bandana ends in embarrassment. “Dammit,” she grumbles, and sighs. She really does need to get her head out of the clouds.

Nobody comes to help her up, but then, she never expected them to. Ever since she hit thirteen, she’s rebuffed all attempts of assistance. For her pride, for her mother’s pride. She doesn’t know which. But no one has helped her in at least two years. She’s sure that if anyone tried now, she would refuse out of pure habit.

She grunts and heads down to the docks. There’s work to be done, money to be earned, and she doesn’t have time to sit around and waste time. She needs to get the medicine for her mother, and working at the docks is the only way to do it, even if she is paid less than the other workers.

 

\--

 

Miles beneath the sea, two figures race towards the sun shining through the water.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always loved and brighten up my day and are saved in my Gmail. Please, tell me what you think!
> 
> Also! Here's my [Tumblr.](http://nikescaret.tumblr.com) Come visit and chat with me if you want!


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